


You Are A Fire So Gentle To The Touch

by TinySpiney



Series: I See You [17]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Android Cole Anderson, Android Elijah Kamski, Android Gavin Reed, Android Hank Anderson, Gen, Human Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Human CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 (Detroit: Become Human), Human Upgraded Connor | RK900, again the android and human tags dont exactly make sense, but if you know the series then ya know what the deal is with those tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:15:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26280253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinySpiney/pseuds/TinySpiney
Summary: The title is fromHey You, Remember My Name by MISSIO,which is also what I was mostly writing this to!!
Relationships: Connor & CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 & Upgraded Connor | RK900, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Upgraded Connor | RK900 & Elijah Kamski, Upgraded Connor | RK900 & Original Character(s)
Series: I See You [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730275
Kudos: 2





	You Are A Fire So Gentle To The Touch

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from [Hey You, Remember My Name by MISSIO,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aRz7Awkgtw) which is also what I was mostly writing this to!!

_ August 6th 2105 1:33 AM _

  
  


It wasn’t like it happened overnight. Though the realisation did set in rather abruptly. In fact, he had been laying in bed staring up at his ceiling one night just because he couldn’t sleep. For whatever reason there was a restlessness that settled into his bones and wormed its way into his mind. Making his mind race and zip around faster than usual in his increasing distress. Why was he so upset? Why couldn’t he sleep? Why was he so distraught and lonely? At first, the answer was to call in the puppy and see if she could snuggle up in bed. Then the answer was to close his eyes and count sheep. The real answer hit him like the time he tripped down the stairs in his haste to get to the den on Christmas morning.

_ Niles wanted to be a father. _

It wasn’t like it wasn’t going to happen eventually. Well, he certainly thought it would never happen. The thought used to be absurd to him. Even a few years ago he used to shrug and nervously laugh when Jeff asked if he would settle down and start a family of his own. Well, there was this problem he had with settling down. That would require having a romantic interest with someone, and that was something Niles hadn’t really had the time for before he died. So he had no idea how to even go about looking for a romantic relationship. But over the years...it must have kept building up. That would certainly explain why his family members kept asking him if he was going to adopt a kid anytime soon. It must have shown in how he interacted with Cole and Daisy. Niles loved them both dearly and had practically helped raise them on certain occasions. Maybe it was about damn time that he adopted a kid. That he went and spoke with Elijah about it. 

There was no doubt that Elijah started the passion project for himself back in the day, wanting to experience how to raise a child. Wanting to be a parent. It was actually quite inspiring, if Niles were to be honest with himself about it. Though if he were to be entirely and completely honest; he was always a little jealous. It wasn’t until that moment that he had realised  _ why. _ Niles was jealous because he  _ wanted _ that. He had watched Connor raise Cole, had watched Caleb and Gavin raise Daisy. One of his hyperfixations was infant and child medical care. Sure it was when he was still in high school, but it...made sense.  _ It made sense. _ In a weird and convoluted kind of way, but it still worked. The enjoyment he got from watching Cole and Daisy grow up, the jealousy of Elijah, the pride he felt when the kids accomplished their goals. Everything just seemed to... _ click. _ Niles wanted to be a father. He never realised it, but he always wanted to. 

Sure he was a little late to the game of having kids, so sue him he wasn’t sure if he really wanted a family like that. But shit, as time went on and Cole and Daisy got older, he kept thinking about how their lives were technically infinite. Niles knew he wouldn’t be able to deal with the heartbreak of having a human child. Watching as they grew old and died as the decades went by. Sure, the human lifespan had gotten much longer since the time he had died, and sure that was arguably a good thing. Niles and his family though...they could live forever if they didn’t screw something up really bad. Which absolutely meant he couldn’t adopt a human child. No matter how much his heart screamed at him to do so, he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle it as the years went by. Which meant that he was going to go see Elijah in the morning. Well, later in the morning. If he was able to sleep at all after coming to that very eye-opening realisation. Regardless of if Niles slept or not, he was going to go up to Elijah’s and pull the “I’m the brother of the CEO” card to get in and see him. Sometimes it paid off to be the brother of the CEO. 

Niles rolled over onto his side in bed, patting his puppy’s head as he got comfortable. He knew he wouldn’t sleep, but there was no harm in trying. 

  
  


\---

  
  


_ August 6th 2105 10:56 AM _

  
  


Sure enough, the brother card worked like a charm. Niles did, however, apologise profusely to the person who had to rearrange Elijah’s schedule. Even if the epiphany was important and needed to be spoken about as soon as possible, Niles still felt bad for the inconvenience. The irony of the phrasing stuck out in his head and he had to cough into a fist to keep himself from giggling as he was led down the hallway. There was a small waiting area with nice plush chairs, and a glass window that showed Elijah pacing while speaking. Oh, he must have been in a meeting with someone. Oh no. Oh shit, fuck, dammit. Niles stopped in his tracks and tried to keep his ADHD riddled brain in check, and to  _ not _ hyperfocus on the bad thing he felt he had done. 

Like pulling his brother out of what might have been a very important meeting. For all Niles knew it could have held the fate of the company in its hands! Ah shit, maybe he should just come back later. No wait, the person already rearranged Elijah’s schedule. Fuck, he didn’t want to inconvenience them any more than he already had. But he was in a meeting, he was pacing and talking, that meant that he was stressed! Which meant that wherever was going on in his office must have been important! Niles would have liked to think his thing was important, too. That it needed to be spoken about as soon as possible. But maybe it could wait? Elijah was-- Elijah was opening the door? With a great big smile on his face, and a relieved tone of voice while welcoming Niles into the office. That was just...odd. Considering the fact that he was probably in a meeting not even-- Oh. Jeff was in the room as well. Huh, that explained that. Niles inwardly rolled his eyes and cursed his RSD. 

  
  


“So, Niles, I’m actually very happy that you’re here!” Elijah clapped his hands together and brought up a hologram above the table. It showed a diagram and blueprints for an enhanced prosthetic that would hopefully be in circulation by the late 2110’s. “I know it’s a little ways away, but I figured we could start doing some simulations--”

“Elijah, I love you but I came here to talk about something very important to me.”

  
  


Elijah looked...shocked. Then something like wonder and anticipation went across his face, before breaking out into a large smile and nodding his head for Niles to proceed. Well fuck. If he reacted like that then it almost felt like he knew exactly what Niles was there to talk about. Fuck the small talk apparently. It was still...pretty nerve wracking though. Niles had to take a few breaths to steady himself and force the words out. To be able to just talk. To get his words out and tell his brother-- No. Nope. He couldn’t do it. But, surprise, surprise, his hands were shaking too much for him to be able to properly sign at Elijah. Since Niles had some sort of unspoken oath to never message someone unless there was  _ no _ other choice, he was shit out of luck at the moment. So he sat in one of the rolling chairs with his head in his hands and tried to take a few more deep breaths to calm himself down. 

  
  


“I want a baby.” Niles picked his head up and stared Elijah straight in the eye. “I want to be a father, but I would need your help to do that. Will you?”

“Ra9, Niles, you really think I wouldn’t?” Elijah knelt down in front of him on the floor, putting a hand on his knee and smiling unjust enough to make it comforting. “Of course I’ll help you.”

  
  


Jeff briefly spoke up for a moment, just to say he would give the boys some privacy to talk about the situation. It was something deeply personal for Niles and he didn’t want to impose. Thus began a lengthy talk about what being a parent would entail. It wasn’t like Niles didn’t already know how to take care of a child. He had helped with Cole when he was graduating high school. He had helped with Daisy quite often while Gavin and Caleb were still trying to figure out how work would affect their parenting styles. Niles was no stranger to taking care of a child, that much was very clear to both of them. But they both knew that Elijah interviewed every potential parent in person. It was a formality, even Caleb and Gavin had done it. Elijah wanted to be thorough and make sure the children he was making were going to be going on to good homes. The process wasn’t always 100%, but more often than not, the kids had good home lives.

Needless to say, Elijah lightheartedly grilled his brother. Beyond that, they started planning. Niles knew what he would need and what he wouldn’t. Or what he wouldn’t need right away, but would need later on. They made a checklist of sorts. Niles already knew he would end up checking through it time and time again, probably running himself ragged by stressing out over it. But hey, this was a perfectly acceptable thing to get stressed out over. Especially considering the fact that he hadn’t even told his family about it. After all, the epiphany had come to him at one in the morning. It wasn’t like he could just call everyone up and say that he planned on adopting a kid. Well, he absolutely could have. It was just that he was so taken by the idea of being a father that he hadn’t even thought about it. He could worry about telling his brothers and father later though. Right now it was time for planning a future. Not only his own, but that of his future child’s. The thought was equal parts exciting and terrifying. 

  
  


\---

  
  


_ May 28th 2106 12:34 PM _

  
  


Oddly enough, and much to Niles’ delight, it took about nine months to make the infant android. Mostly to do any possible customisation that the parents had wanted. Since there was no other party for Niles’ case, he trusted Elijah to just...make a baby. Despite Niles saying it was okay if the baby didn’t look even remotely like him, Elijah said he was going to make them look quite similar. The giddiness in his voice was what made the older keep his mouth shut. If Elijah wanted to have fun with this, then he could have fun with it. Besides, today was the day. Niles couldn’t sit still. He was pacing up and down the hall, thoroughly annoying his family. Well, he was annoying Caleb a little bit, but no one else really. They understood. Well, Cole and Daisy to an extent. They knew that it was a very important thing for him. To be able to take a child in, to raise as his own, to be a  _ father. _

Needless to say, having Caleb and Gavin there was a big help. They understood on a level that Hank and Connor just couldn’t. They completely understood the gravity of the situation. The anticipation of meeting their child for the first time. Of watching their child open their eyes and look at the world for the first time. Niles was so excited he felt like he was going to pass out. Or maybe that was because he was terrified. Either way, he couldn’t stay still. There was no way he could stay sitting in the comfortable chairs. Everyone was being nice about it at least, telling him that everything was going to be fine and that Elijah would have someone tell him if something was wrong. Which, of course, made him worry about if anything was going to go wrong. But it was fine. It was okay. If anything was wrong then he could go in and see what was happening, he was well versed in android physiology. 

It felt like it had been an eternity before Elijah opened the door, wiping thirium from his brow. He looked tired. Niles was practically scrambling to stand in front of him, waiting to be taken to his child. Elijah chuckled softly and welcomed the family, nodding to Caleb and Gavin in a knowing manner. Of course. They had been through this exact same thing before. The differences were that they were a couple, they were married. They had each other there for support when they inevitably cried over Daisy. Niles didn’t have a romantic partner. He didn’t have a partner to raise his child with. But fuck it, that was what family was for, wasn’t it? To look out for each other and support each other through their decisions. Like having a child. Becoming a parent. Niles was terrified, but he knew his family would have his back. He’d have advice from his older brothers, his father and uncle even. The time had come, he was going to meet his child. He was going to be a goddamn  _ father. _

As Elijah stepped aside to go back into the room, Niles found himself hot on his tail. They had been in that room countless times.  _ Niles _ had been in that room countless times. For every one of Cole’s transfers, for every one of Daisy’s. Now he was in it to meet his child. Elijah had put up a hand before Niles could even get close to the crib his child was presumably laying in. Apparently Elijah was having trouble with the thirium infusion, so there would be a high chance that his child would need to feed longer than the usual child. At least for the first couple days. That was...mildly concerning. But it would be okay. Considering the fact that Elijah had a tired smile throughout the explanation, it was nothing to really be concerned about until it presented itself as a concern. Which led into other possible concerns Niles might have had being voiced. Though by Elijah. He spoke slowly, in depth, he didn’t leave out a single thing that Niles might have been worried about. Shit, they knew each other all too well by now. 

  
  


“Here he is, here’s your son.” Elijah put a hand on the railing of a seafoam green crib and gestured inside at long last. “Did you have a name in mind?”

“Evan.” Niles grinned and blinked his tears away. The attempt was unsuccessful. “Evan Calvin Anderson.”

  
  


Laying there in that crib was his  _ son. _ Niles walked over to the crib and peeked inside, he was looking right down at the face of his child. The chubby little cheeks and the teeny tiny beauty marks on his skin. Niles laughed through his tears and slowly reached into the crib, gently laying a hand over his son’s stomach and then brushing his knuckles against his cheek. He wasn’t even awake. He wasn’t even born yet, really, his LED was still dark. Niles was looking at his son before he was even  _ born, _ how incredible was that? Niles couldn’t help the delighted and mildly disbelieving laugh that came out of him. That was his  _ son. _ With a glance at Elijah to make sure it was alright, Niles reached inside properly to pick up his child. His little boy. His son who was so small and so beautiful. Niles held Evan against his chest and gently swayed from side to side while Elijah explained he was going to turn his son on. He was going to wake him up. 

_ Evan was going to be alive.  _

The idea was both absurd and profound. The infant was existing somewhere between life and death. Somewhere before, somewhere after. Though with just a simple touch to his LED, a soft inhale was followed by a loud and shrill sound. Niles couldn’t help it. He burst into tears as he adjusted the way he held his son. Niles smiled and he cried and he softly spoke to Evan about how much he loved him and how he was going to always love him. He stroked the soft dark brown hair, he gently wiped away the tears from his icy blue eyes. Elijah didn’t have to make Evan look like him, he really didn’t. Either way -  _ any _ way - that boy looked, he would have been Niles’ son. Niles looked up with tears in his eyes, gaze focusing on the first person he saw. Connor. His brother. The first out of the Andersons to actually become a parent; to undergo all of the smiles and laughter and tears and fears that came with having a child. 

  
  


“I’m a dad…” 

  
  


Niles hurriedly looked down at Evan in his arms, adjusting how he was holding him so the infant’s head was resting over his heart. He looked back up to his family’s faces. Connor was, of course, a crying mess. There was no way he wouldn’t be. He got all emotional when Niles told him he was going to be a father. Caleb and Gavin were also messes, Gavin more so actually. But they had to have gotten some sort of nostalgic value from the whole event. Seeing as this was exactly how Daisy had come into their lives. Daisy was outwardly crying, trying to hide it, but she was crying and leaning against Gavin’s side. Hank and Cole were probably the most held together. In the most meaning that the two of them were also outwardly crying, just not as much as everyone else was. 

Niles was...so happy that his family was like that. That they all had such big emotions and didn’t hold them back. They let themselves express how they felt, when they felt that way. It probably played a big part in Cole and Daisy’s developmental growth. Now, Niles realised, it would play a part in  _ his own child’s _ developmental growth. That emotional side to life that everyone had. He was terrified. He was excited. He couldn’t wait to bring Evan home. He didn’t want to fuck it up, he didn’t want to screw everything up and have Evan grow up to resent him. But Caleb said he had those same fears, Gavin had them too, Connor did. Hank and Jeffrey had even mentioned going through something similar when officially adopting the boys. That was...normal. That was something that went through a parent’s head. Niles was going to do his best. That was all he would ever be able to do; and just hope that his best was good enough.

  
  


“Oh, oh my god. Holy  _ shit. _ ” Niles cringed when he heard the swear leave his mouth, but he still smiled and he still beamed. “I’m a  _ father, _ I have a  _ son. _ This… This is the best day of my life.”

“Remember that when you’re up at three in the morning, Nines.” Caleb nodded at the infant and gave his little brother a good natured smirk. “Though knowing you, you’ll find a way to make it fun for him. You’re gonna be a great dad, Niles. Don’t you ever doubt that.”

  
  


He knew he would at times. That was just how parenting worked. But for the moment? Yeah, he was going to be a fan-fucking-tastic dad. He’d do both his human  _ and _ android fathers proud.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Me, basing Niles' ADHD experiences off of my own? Just as likely as you think.
> 
> Remember when I said one of these one-shots was going to be the very last part of this story? Yeah, so that was a fuckin' lie. The whole reason this exists is because I had just started the one-shot for Hank's birthday and accidentally gave Niles a kid. Besides, I did a one-shot for the twins' birthday. I've got one for Hank's birthday coming up. I've gotta write one for our favourite rat man's birthday now, too. So expect one-shots for their birthdays, around their birthdays!!


End file.
